Bench vise



Ma ch28, 1939. K|NG v 2,152,058

BENCH VI SE Filed Nov 8, 1937 I f Flag- EMORY L. Kma

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clamping devices and especially to improved types of bench vises.

It is an object of the present invention to 5 provide a novel type of bench vise wherein the jaws can be readily and quickly moved relative to each other and substantially fixedly held in a plurality of positions without necessitating manipulation of a threaded member as has here- 15 tofore been the case.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a quick-acting bench vise wherein the face plates thereof can be adjustably secured relative to each other and compressing forces exerted to clamp objects therebetween.

It is a feature of the device, according to the present invention that after the jaws of the vise have been adjusted and certain members associated therewith fixed in position that the jaws can be further moved by means including threaded members.

It is another feature of the device according to the present invention that a plurality of clamping means are provided for fixing the jaws 25 in position relative to each other thereby at least largely precluding end play of the jaws of the v1se.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the 30 following detailed description when read in con nection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of the application.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is substantially a side elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 with parts broken away for clearness; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of Fig. 2 taken along the line 3-3.

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, an L-shaped member generally designated at I0 is provided to be received in an edge of a bench, preferably in a cutaway portion of a lower edge whereby flush-type mounting can be utilized. In this embodiment, the L-shaped member is held in association with the bench by bolts or the like passed through openings II formed in one side I2 of the member. It will be noted that the other side of the member I3 is mounted flush with the edge of the bench substantially as hereinbefore referred to. Ways I4 and I5 are provided in the portion I2 of the L- shaped member, said ways being substantially square in cross-section and being disposed substantially perpendicularly relative to the front .portion or face plate I3.

It will be noted that braces I6 are disposed between the respective parts of the L-shaped 5 member to assist in maintaining them at substantially right angles to each other. Sliding bar-like members II and I8 are received within said ways being adapted to be freely moved therein but nevertheless fitting the walls of said 10' ways within substantially close tolerance. A movable face plate I9 is carried on ends of said members I! and I8, being fixedly attached to the members I! and arranged whereby the face plate is always maintained substantially perpendicular to the sliding members and substantially parallel to the other face plate I3.

It will be noted that the member I8 is not fixedly attached to the face plate I9, but instead, said member is provided near an end thereof with a threaded portion 20 slidable within an opening formed in the face plate and cooperating with tapped parts of the member 2|, which is provided with shoulders 22 abutting against portions of the face plate I9. A lever arm 23 25 is provided passing through an opening in the member 2I whereby rotative movement of said member is facilitated.

Means generally designated at 25 are provided for securing sliding members I1 and I8 in a plurality of positions within the ways I4 and I5. It will be noted that the means for securing the members I! are substantially different from the means for securing the member I8.

In the former instance, that is, as regards sliding members I1, threaded screw-like members 26 received in tapped bossed openings in portions of the L-shaped member II] are arranged to abut against the members I'I, whereby as the threaded members are advanced the members I1 49 are pressed against the walls of the ways thereby preventing further sliding movement. It is preferred that the threaded members 26 be provided with heads 2'! equipped with projecting rod-like members 26, whereby rotative move- 5 ment of the threaded members is facilitated.

The centrally disposed bar-like member I8 sliding in the way I5 is preferably clamped by means including a cam 30 rotatably carried on a shaft 3| journaled in portions of the L-shaped 50 member ID substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A handle 32 associated with said cam is provided to facilitate rotative movement thereof.

It will be noted that as the cam is rotated it abuts against sliding members l8, thereby substantially preventing further sliding movement thereof.

In operation, the object to be clamped is positioned between the jaws I3 and IQ of the vise, the threaded members 26 and the cam 30 being. arranged whereby the sliding members I! and I8 can be readily moved, and the member 2| being advanced toward the end of the threaded portion 20 of the member 18, whereby free play of said member within the opening of the plate i9 is permitted. When the jaws have been advanced so that the object is loosely held therebetween, the handle 32 is manipulated whereby the cam 30 is caused to abut against the sliding member l8, thereby preventing further sliding movement of said member, and rotative movement is imparted to the member 2! by means including the lever arm 23, thereby causing the face plate [9 to advance toward the face plate l3, thus substantially firmly gripping the object positioned therebetween.

When the face plates have been advanced toward each other to the requisite degree, the threaded members 26 are advanced causing the members I! to be firmly secured within the ways I4, thus precluding end play of the vise face plates and insuring firm and substantial gripping of the object positioned therebetween.

Although in the hereinbefore described embodiment of the present invention cam-actuated holding means and threaded holding means have been described in connection with the sliding members, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that cam-actuated means or threaded means can be used on all or several of the sliding members, or other means substantially equivalent to those herein described can be employed as aforesaid.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bench vise of the type described comprising a fixed and a movable portion, said fixed portion comprising an L-shaped member adapted to be mounted over an edge of a bench, one of the sides of said L-shaped member being adapted to provide a face plate and the other side being provided with means for supporting and, under certain conditions, holding said movable portion, said means comprising a plurality of ways one being substantially centrally disposed, formed in said member substantially perpendicular to the side providing said face plate, the movable portion of said vise comprising a plurality of barlike members slidably received in said ways, a second face plate carried on said bar-like members disposed substantially parallel to said other face plate, means for holding said bar-like members substantially fixedly in various positions within said ways whereby the face plates can be held at different distances from each other, said means comprising a cam rotatably mounted in said fixed portion of the vise adjacent the central way and adapted to abut against the barlike member therein when the cam is rotated, whereby sliding movement of the member is at least largely precluded, a handle associated with said cam to facilitate rotative movement of same, and means for moving said second face plate along the axis of the central bar-like member, comprising a threaded portion formed on the end part of said member adapted to be slidably received in an opening in said face plate, a tapped member cooperating with said threaded portion whereby rotative movement of said tapped member is translated into lateral movement of said face plate.

2. A bench vise of the type described compr1sing a fixed and a movable portion, said fixed portion comprising an L-shaped member adapted to be mounted over an edge of a bench, one of the sides of said L-shaped member being adapted to provide a face plate and the other side being provided with means for supporting and, under certain conditions, holding said movable portion, said means comprising a plurality of ways one being substantially centrally disposed, formed in said member substantially perpendicular to the side providing said face plate, the movable portion of said vise comprising a plurality of barlike members slidably received in said ways, a second face plate carried on said bar-like members disposed substantially parallel to said other face plate, means for holding said bar-like members substantially fixedly in various positions within said ways whereby the face plates can be held at different distances from each other, said means comprising a cam rotatably mounted in said fixed portion of the vise adjacent the central way and adapted to abut against the bar-like member therein when the cam is rotated, whereby sliding movement of the member is at least largely precluded, a handle associated with said cam to facilitate rotative movement of same, threaded members carried in the fixed portion of said vise adapted to abut against and hold barlike members positioned in other ways, and means for moving said second face plate along the axis of the central bar-like member comprising a threaded portion formed on the end part of said member adapted to be slidably received in an opening in said face plate, a tapped member coperating with said threaded portion provided with shoulders abutting against parts of said face plate, whereby rotative movement of said tapped member is translated into lateral movement of said face plate, and a lever arm carried on said member adapted to facilitate rotative movement thereof.

EMORY L. KING. 

